and carbohydrates by decreasing the enzymatic activity of pepsin, trypsin, and
amylase (Sebastian et al. 1998; Selle et al. 2000).
Nevertheless, through numerous scientific studies, phytate has demonstrated its
role as a bioactive agent and holds a great promise in cancer treatments. Phytic acid
intake helps in reducing the blood glucose and cholesterol levels (Lee et al. 2006;
Lee et al. 2007); increases bone mineral density (López-González et al. 2008);
inhibits the crystallization of calcium salts, thus avoiding kidney stone formation
(Grases et al. 2000); exerts protective effect in Parkinson’s by avoiding excess iron
accumulation (Xu et al. 2008); inhibits iron-mediated lipid peroxidation and Fenton
oxidative reaction (Graf and Eaton 1990; Rimbach and Pallauf 1998); reduces cell
proliferation; and induces differentiation of malignant cells, thus controlling tumor
growth, progression, and metastasis (Shamsuddin 2002; Vucenik and Shamsuddin
2004).
Soybean and its products contain almost 1–1.5 g phytic acid/100 g of dry matter
(Mikić et al. 2009; Agarwal 2014; Yasothai 2016). Liener (2000) reported that
almost two-thirds of the phosphorus in soybean is bound as phytate and unavailable
to animals. Several studies have thus been carried out to observe the effects of
processing methods on the phytate content of soybean, and it was reported that
sprouting, roasting, and pressure cooking lead to a 32%, 88%, and 55% decrease,
respectively (Pele et al. 2016; Agarwal 2014). Also, research work is being carried
out to develop low phytic acid content in soybean genotypes with better yield and
seed viability (Spear and Fehr 2007).
1.3.6.2 Protease Inhibitors
Antiproteolytic substances were first noted by Read and Haas (1938), and since then
numerous studies have been undertaken either to estimate the soybean protease
inhibitors (SBPI) or to evaluate their antinutritional and health-promoting effects.
However, two major forms of SBPI present in soybeans, namely, Kunitz trypsin
inhibitor (KTI) and Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), represent 6% of the protein
present in soybean seed. It is reported that KTI inhibits trypsin, whereas, BBI affects
the enzymatic activity of both trypsin and chymotrypsin, and thus, decreases the
biological quality of the soy proteins (Lajolo and Genovese 2002). Also, KTI
reportedly leads to hypersecretion of pancreatic enzymes leading to hypertrophy
and hyperplasia, and thus, raw soybean is recommended not to be fed to monogastric
animals (Kassell 1970; Rackis and Gumbmann 1981; Birk 1985; DiPietro and
Liener 1989; Werner and Wemmer 1992). On the contrary, recent research suggests
that BBI concentrate (BBIC) can be used as a potential cancer chemopreventive
agent and can prevent the development of coronary diseases in humans without
toxicity (Kennedy 1998; Dia et al. 2008).
Just like the nutritional attributes, antinutrient and phytonutrient composition is
also affected by various genetic and environmental factors. Consequently different
authors have reported different values for trypsin inhibitor in soybean seeds. Esteves
et al. (2010) pointed out that per gram of soy protein comprises between 30 and
8
R. Modgil et al.
amylase (Sebastian et al. 1998; Selle et al. 2000).
Nevertheless, through numerous scientific studies, phytate has demonstrated its
role as a bioactive agent and holds a great promise in cancer treatments. Phytic acid
intake helps in reducing the blood glucose and cholesterol levels (Lee et al. 2006;
Lee et al. 2007); increases bone mineral density (López-González et al. 2008);
inhibits the crystallization of calcium salts, thus avoiding kidney stone formation
(Grases et al. 2000); exerts protective effect in Parkinson’s by avoiding excess iron
accumulation (Xu et al. 2008); inhibits iron-mediated lipid peroxidation and Fenton
oxidative reaction (Graf and Eaton 1990; Rimbach and Pallauf 1998); reduces cell
proliferation; and induces differentiation of malignant cells, thus controlling tumor
growth, progression, and metastasis (Shamsuddin 2002; Vucenik and Shamsuddin
2004).
Soybean and its products contain almost 1–1.5 g phytic acid/100 g of dry matter
(Mikić et al. 2009; Agarwal 2014; Yasothai 2016). Liener (2000) reported that
almost two-thirds of the phosphorus in soybean is bound as phytate and unavailable
to animals. Several studies have thus been carried out to observe the effects of
processing methods on the phytate content of soybean, and it was reported that
sprouting, roasting, and pressure cooking lead to a 32%, 88%, and 55% decrease,
respectively (Pele et al. 2016; Agarwal 2014). Also, research work is being carried
out to develop low phytic acid content in soybean genotypes with better yield and
seed viability (Spear and Fehr 2007).
1.3.6.2 Protease Inhibitors
Antiproteolytic substances were first noted by Read and Haas (1938), and since then
numerous studies have been undertaken either to estimate the soybean protease
inhibitors (SBPI) or to evaluate their antinutritional and health-promoting effects.
However, two major forms of SBPI present in soybeans, namely, Kunitz trypsin
inhibitor (KTI) and Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), represent 6% of the protein
present in soybean seed. It is reported that KTI inhibits trypsin, whereas, BBI affects
the enzymatic activity of both trypsin and chymotrypsin, and thus, decreases the
biological quality of the soy proteins (Lajolo and Genovese 2002). Also, KTI
reportedly leads to hypersecretion of pancreatic enzymes leading to hypertrophy
and hyperplasia, and thus, raw soybean is recommended not to be fed to monogastric
animals (Kassell 1970; Rackis and Gumbmann 1981; Birk 1985; DiPietro and
Liener 1989; Werner and Wemmer 1992). On the contrary, recent research suggests
that BBI concentrate (BBIC) can be used as a potential cancer chemopreventive
agent and can prevent the development of coronary diseases in humans without
toxicity (Kennedy 1998; Dia et al. 2008).
Just like the nutritional attributes, antinutrient and phytonutrient composition is
also affected by various genetic and environmental factors. Consequently different
authors have reported different values for trypsin inhibitor in soybean seeds. Esteves
et al. (2010) pointed out that per gram of soy protein comprises between 30 and
8
R. Modgil et al.